{"id":"cbb9e3d1-2386-4e59-912e-62f1484f7a89","title":"Conhost Spawned By Uncommon Parent Process","description":"Detects when the Console Window Host (conhost.exe) process is spawned by an uncommon parent process, which could be indicative of potential code injection activity.","author":"Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea)","status":"test","level":"medium","date":"2022-09-28","modified":"2025-03-06","tags":["attack.execution","attack.t1059"],"technique_ids":["T1059"],"logsource":{"category":"process_creation","product":"windows"},"falsepositives":["Unknown"],"references":["https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/conhost-spawned-by-suspicious-parent-process.html"],"source_path":"rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_conhost_uncommon_parent.yml","source_sha256":"3a4cd3f28002b84c60e91450e161da6353103c49b6a174f1d85b77244144b7a2","source_url":"https://github.com/anpa1200/sigma/blob/b249e9683190cffdcaf188ccbfb90bf4759844e1/rules/windows/process_creation/proc_creation_win_conhost_uncommon_parent.yml","license":"Detection Rule License 1.1","license_url":"https://github.com/SigmaHQ/Detection-Rule-License/blob/main/LICENSE.Detection.Rules.md","yaml":"title: Conhost Spawned By Uncommon Parent Process\nid: cbb9e3d1-2386-4e59-912e-62f1484f7a89\nstatus: test\ndescription: Detects when the Console Window Host (conhost.exe) process is spawned by an uncommon parent process, which could be indicative of potential code injection activity.\nreferences:\n    - https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/security/current/conhost-spawned-by-suspicious-parent-process.html\nauthor: Tim Rauch, Elastic (idea)\ndate: 2022-09-28\nmodified: 2025-03-06\ntags:\n    - attack.execution\n    - attack.t1059\nlogsource:\n    category: process_creation\n    product: windows\ndetection:\n    selection:\n        Image|endswith: '\\conhost.exe'\n        ParentImage|endswith:\n            - '\\explorer.exe'\n            # - '\\csrss.exe'  # Legitimate parent as seen in EchoTrail https://www.echotrail.io/insights/search/csrss.exe\n            # - '\\ctfmon.exe'  # Seen several times in a testing environment\n            # - '\\dllhost.exe'  # FP on clean system from grandparent 'svchost.exe -k DcomLaunch -p'\n            - '\\lsass.exe'\n            - '\\regsvr32.exe'\n            - '\\rundll32.exe'\n            - '\\services.exe'\n            - '\\smss.exe'\n            - '\\spoolsv.exe'\n            - '\\svchost.exe'\n            - '\\userinit.exe'\n            # - '\\wermgr.exe'  # Legitimate parent as seen in EchoTrail https://www.echotrail.io/insights/search/wermgr.exe\n            - '\\wininit.exe'\n            - '\\winlogon.exe'\n    filter_main_svchost:\n        ParentCommandLine|contains:\n            - '-k apphost -s AppHostSvc'\n            - '-k imgsvc'\n            - '-k localService -p -s RemoteRegistry'\n            - '-k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p -s NgcSvc'\n            - '-k NetSvcs -p -s NcaSvc'\n            - '-k netsvcs -p -s NetSetupSvc'\n            - '-k netsvcs -p -s wlidsvc'\n            - '-k NetworkService -p -s DoSvc'\n            - '-k wsappx -p -s AppXSvc'\n            - '-k wsappx -p -s ClipSVC'\n            - '-k wusvcs -p -s WaaSMedicSvc'\n    filter_optional_dropbox:\n        ParentCommandLine|contains:\n            - 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\'\n            - 'C:\\Program Files\\Dropbox\\Client\\'\n    condition: selection and not 1 of filter_main_* and not 1 of filter_optional_*\nfalsepositives:\n    - Unknown\nlevel: medium\n","validation":"yaml_parsed_not_backend_compiled_or_live_validated","techniques":[{"key":"enterprise/T1059","id":"T1059","name":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","page":"techniques/enterprise/T1059/"}],"data_path":"data/detection-rules/cbb9e3d1-2386-4e59-912e-62f1484f7a89.json","kind":"sigma"}